‘You can’t just be satisfied with the year you had,’ says Ducks prospect Sam Steel. ‘You always want to get better. That’s what I’m trying to do.’ (Photo by Mindy Schauer, The ,Orange County Register/SCNG)

ANAHEIM – Sam Steel had a year to remember and yet, in the bowels of the Ducks’ practice facility in early September, knows it is time to forget about it.

The leading scorer in all of Canadian major junior hockey was a deserved choice as the Western Hockey League’s player of the year. Steel is in good company as 10 current NHL players have won that award. So has past legends Bobby Clarke, Bernie Federko and Bryan Trottier. As have Joe Sakic and Jarome Iginla.

And that’s now history. Now it is time to improve, even in a 50-goal, 131-point campaign.

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“You always want to build,” Steel said Friday at Anaheim Ice. “You can’t just be satisfied with the year you had. You always want to get better. That’s what I’m trying to do.”

There is no doubt that Steel stands out as the top prospect in the Ducks’ rookie camp but he’s back at the starting point of another year, being one among other players with NHL dreams as they head to San Jose for the inaugural four-team 2017 Prospect Showcase.

The Ducks face Arizona on Saturday to open their three-game slate, before taking on host San Jose on Sunday and finishing up with a contest against Colorado on Tuesday. There may be games to win but leaving a favorable impression on the watchful eyes of the front office scouts and executives is more vital.

“It’s also about showcasing your skills,” said defenseman Josh Mahura, a talented puck mover the Ducks took in the third round in 2016. “That’s why you’re here. Prove yourself and your worth to be here.

“You’re kind of playing against all your peers right now. Guys at your level all year long. Just going against them and showcasing why you’re here.”

Steel, 19, will be among those closely monitored. His monstrous season with the WHL’s Regina Pats raised hopes and expectations that he could be a center in the Ducks’ lineup sooner rather than later. Being a participant in his first training camp last fall was something he used as a springboard to stardom.

“I don’t want to say it was like a lucky year or anything,” Steel said. “I did put a lot of work in the summer before. Coming into Anaheim helped me a lot. Just seeing how fast the pace is and everything. I tried to take that into junior.

“Some things fell into place. Yeah, it was a good season.”

At this time, Steel is focused on what’s ahead, saying “this is kind of the camp to put your best foot forward.” And that is part of the assignment Dallas Eakins, coach of the Ducks’ American Hockey League team in San Diego, over the next few days.

It is nice to have everyone with full knowledge of the system operating within the team structure. It is also unrealistic three days into a rookie camp and, according to Eakins, possibly detrimental in overloading them with information.

“(We have to) do our absolute best as coaches and management to set the kid up for success, whether it’s position wise or situations on the ice,” Eakins said. “Whatever it is. That’s the first thing.”

Mahura, 19, is trying to stand out within an organization flowing with proven defensemen and talented up-and-comers like him. Eakins encourages those prospects to trust their instincts in a situation like this.

“You got to just go out and play your own game here,” Mahura said. “You’re here for a reason. You got to think that way. You don’t try to go out and do anything out of the norm. They noticed you for what you do best. It’s just sticking to your game.”

For Steel, the camp is just a continuation of a seemingly never-ending schedule. He was at the Ducks’ summer camp in early July and then showed enough at the World Junior Summer Showcase in August to put himself in contention for a spot on Canada’s world junior team.

Being a surprise cut last year is one source of motivation. Making it hard for the Ducks to send him back to Regina is another. “I love the game,” Steel said. “I love competing. … I wouldn’t say I’m always searching for something to motivate me. There’s definitely some things to help me.”

Prospect tournaments have become a regular, if not essential, exercise for the majority of NHL teams. The Ducks could potentially serve as a host to one for the western-based outfits in future years after their new Great Park practice facility opens in Irvine next year.

“It allows us to see apples to apples,” Eakins said. “Once you take these guys and put them into the big camp, it’s hard to really judge them. At least it’s a starting point to where we’re at against these other teams.”

Eric Stephens has been covering the Ducks and the NHL for news outlets since 2005 and for the Orange County Register since 2009. Now happily spreading the hockey gospel throughout the Southern California News Group. Has covered three Stanley Cup Finals and (sadly) one NHL lockout. Once took up an invitation to a fan's tailgate barbecue at the College World Series. Has all sorts of genres on his iPod and tries his best in whatever he does most of the time. Only the grits at Waffle House come close to his. Eternal goal: Be better.

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